cheap airfares in american (north and south)?

[Vraille Darkfang]

BTW, Southwest doesn't fly into Atlanta, though Chicago (Midway) is indeed a big hub for them.

Is Dallas/Fort Worth their Southern Hub then?

Note: Chicago Midway-Nice Airport. Chicago O-Hare? If someone clamied they found Hoffa and Elvis in a baggage claim there I wouldn't be surprised.

However, Chicago weather overall gets downright nasty at various times of the year. (My dad once had a 2-day layover due to a blizzard).

 

[jaerdaph]

JetBlue: Greatest. Airline. EVAR.

http://www.jetblue.com

 

[kenobi65]

Is Dallas/Fort Worth their Southern Hub then?

Actually, their original hub was Love Field in Dallas (not DFW). However, there's some weird law that prevents Southwest from serving any airport more than a few hundred miles away from Dallas via Love Field, and so, it's not a primary hub for them anymore.

Based on what their route map on their website looks like, they've got a number of "hub-ish" airports in the South / Southwest, including KC, Houston, Phoenix, and Vegas.

 

[Spell]

You do realize you are planning about 10,000+ miles of travel here?

i know, that's why i wanted to use aeroplanes rather than cars or trains.

Unless you have an unlimited budget, be prepared to condense your plans. (I'd say stick with the US. Southwest; pretty much the size of Europe all by it lonesome.

after what you said, i will probably stick to texas, california (i really really really really want to see all those places mentioned in chandler's novels... i know it's 60 years down the line, but i guess it's better than nothing!), and whatever else comes, it's great (*especially* the caribbeans. regardless of what one might think of castro, cuba will change completely after his death. chances are that it will become just another open air brothel/ vacation resort, as some other parts of the world. so, i really don't mind about politics here. i have to see it. if you say that even going there will grant me some weird looks when i'll come back to the u.s.a., then i will go before returning to europe.)

PS. You wanna go to Mexico? That's a big Okey-Dokey from Austin. People go to the Border Towns all the time. Sometimes for perfectly legal reasons. Be very careful. Go with someone who's been there before (pref. one that speaks Spanish). Mexico can be a rough place (Been there, done that).

i'm not sure i fully understand what you are implying here. are you saying that some people go to border towns in mexico for drugs/ prostitutes/ whatever other illegal stuff? i think we might make a trip there with my housemates, if they will be interested. they have lived in austin for some time, and maybe there will be a mexican girl. also, being italian, i should be able to understand some spanish, too... but, obviously, if it's dodgy people i have to deal with, that's out of question.

 

[Spell]

by the way, thanks to everyone for the advice! keep it coming!

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

regardless of what one might think of castro, cuba will change completely after his death. i really don't mind about politics here. i have to see it. if you say that even going there will grant me some weird looks when i'll come back to the u.s.a., then i will go before returning to europe.)



i'm not sure i fully understand what you are implying here. are you saying that some people go to border towns in mexico for drugs/ prostitutes/ whatever other illegal stuff? but, obviously, if it's dodgy people i have to deal with, that's out of question.

Here's the deal with Cuba. The US has had an Embargo for about 50 years now. Over time that embargo waxes and wanes. Right now its really strict. We jsut got back from a cruise a few weeks ago. We managed to get off teh boat before customs impounded THE WHOLE SHIP because a Canadian was foudn with a single Cuban Cigar! (Canada doesn't have an embargo, but if it goes through the US, it gets impounded). If you want to get to Cuba, you have to go through some other country first & expect a massive shake down if you try to get back into the US. I'm not talking wierd stares here, I'm talking custom officials going through every piece of luggage you own looking for anything that says 'Made in Cuba'. If you like the Caribbean, go to Grand Cayman, Jamica, US Virgin Islands or any of a dozen places.

The only places I'd say stay away from are Haiti and Cuba.

As for shady deals in the US/Mexican Border towns.

Drug Smuggling

Human Smuggling

Weapon Smuggling

Fireworks Smuggling

Booze Smuggling

Prostitution

Car Theft Rings.

The border towns have 2 sides. A tourist side & an illicit side. Some of the border towns can get pretty rough if you take a wrong turn or don't know what you are doing. (My uncle when he was young had to 'pay' a 'fine' to a mexican customs official for the 'illegal' drugs he was trying to smuggle; bottle of Asprin). That was 30 years ago, but it still happens.

If you're with people that know what they are doing fine, just don't take a day-trip by yourself is all that I am saying.

 

[ssampier]

This reminds me of an old saw about perspectives: The major difference between Americans and Europeans is that Americans thinks that 200 years is a long time, and Europeans think 200 miles is a long drive.

200 miles isn't far; some people travel farther than that to find a good deal on a car.

 

[ssampier]

...
* the coast of california, plus probably las vegas (i'm sure there's nothing apart from the casinos, but i'll find it out before deciding... i'd rather spend more time in california)
* some natural parks

Las Vegas is fun. It is mostly casinos, but the casinos are large and interesting. I think the structure is a bit different from european casinos (I wouldn't know, I have never been to Europe).

As for natural parks, we have lots. California has Yosemite, of course. My home state, Utah, has five National parks, plus about 17 national monuments.

 

[Spell]

Here's the deal with Cuba.

ok, i go when i'll leave then. not that i plan to bring anything with me, but you never know. i have to renew my passport next year, anyway, so there will be no trace of my trip, should i want to return to the u.s.a. for a PhD.

The only places I'd say stay away from are Haiti and Cuba.

why haiti? same thing as mexican border? i thought jamaica was way more dangerous.

If you're with people that know what they are doing fine, just don't take a day-trip by yourself is all that I am saying.

ok, message received.


EDIT about cuba:
is the strictness applied if the customs see that you had a cuban visa? even if, say, i return to u.s.a. after a couple of months, from europe? bottom line: will i be actively prevented to get a u.s.a. visa just for the fact of having been in cuba once?

 

[Spell]

Las Vegas is fun. It is mostly casinos, but the casinos are large and interesting. I think the structure is a bit different from european casinos (I wouldn't know, I have never been to Europe).

i don't really know myself... i was roadtripping with a friend, two years ago, and we stopped in nice... so we went to montecarlo to check it out. i have to say that the casino was the dullest thing ever. "wow, people gambling!!!". i think we spent a whooping 5 minutes in the structure...
i wouldn't object stopping for a night in las vegas if i was passing through it, but by the looks of it, there is no chance i can go roadtripping and still have time to see other things. and visiting las vegas on purpose might be quite a let down. on the other hand, i might still go to nevada if i find a deal for the park(s).